Self-clinching identification tag



July 20, 1937. A. A. F4'ANNIER SELF CLINCHI NG IDENTIFICATION TAG FiledOct. 22. "1935 INVENTOR ,4. 4. PA wweze Patented July 20, 1937 UITEDSTATES rArsN'r orrics 6 Claims.

This invention relates to an identification tag, and more particularly aself-clinching identification tag. Such tags are designed primarily foruse in identifying livestock though not restricted thereto. When usedfor identifying animals, tags of the present type are usually attachedby puncturing the ear of an animal and clinching the tag, and thereforeare generally known ear tags. The usual ear tag is attached by means ofa specially designed clinching tool or plier, by means of which, theuser bends the tongue of the tag around, so as to form a clinch.

The tag of the present invention has a pointed tongue adapted to piercethe object to which the tag is being attached, this being the customarymanner, but instead of requiring a specially designed clincher tool tobend the tongue, this improved tag is provided with a curved hood whichis an integral part of the tag and is adapted to engage the point as itemerges from the object, and to forcibly bend the tongue around toconform substantially to the inner contour of the hood. As a result,only a hammer or a pair of ordinary fiat-nosed pliers is required toclose the tag, although if desired, any regular so-called ear-tag plierscan still be used.

The invention includes a braced construction in which the tongue isprovided with a barb which slips past the edge of the hood in closing,and is automatically forced up in front of the face of the hood, therebysecurely holding the tongue and making it virtually impossible to removethe tag without destroying its further usefulness as an identificationtag.

In the drawing,

Fig. 1 represents a planof the tag as it is punched from the fiat stripof metal, and before it is bent around into shape ready for applying toan animals ear or to an object.

Fig. 2, a side elevation thereof.

Fig. 3, a side elevation, in the bent form, in which the tag is usuallysupplied to the purchaser, ready for use, this view being partly insection taken on the line 33 in Fig. 1.

Fig. 4, a view in perspective of the tag after it is closed into theclinched'forrn;

Fig. 5, a fragmentary view in perspective, showing another construction;and,

Figs. 6, '7, and 8, fragmentary elevations, partly in section, showing anumber of diiferent constructions of tongues and points.

Referring to the drawing, the numeral 20 in Figs. 1 and 2, indicates atag in the flat form just as it comes from the stamping dies. The tag inthis form may be punched out of any suitable fiat material, preferablystrips of metal, such as aluminum. In this instance it has the tongue25, with barb 24 and point 25, as well as the curved hood 2% and aslotted hole or indenture 21.

Before attaching the tags, they are bent to approximately the form shownin Fig. 3, where the original body portion 2!! is formed into thestraight portions or branches. ZB-i and 29-2, connected to each other bythe curved portion 26-3. The tongue 2! is disposed on, and atsubstantially right angles to, one of the branches, in this instance,branch 20-2, while an aperture or perforation 28, is provided at thebase of the hood or clincher, for example, the one at 26, on the otherbranch.

In applying the tag, the object to which it is to be attached, isinserted between the tip of the tongue and the under surface of the pposed branch. The branches of the tag may then be closed togetherbetween an ordinary hammer and anything that will serve as a holdonanvil; or by means of ordinary straight-nosed pliers; or by means of anyregular ear-tag pliers. Whatever method is used to bring the twobranches together, the result is the same, namely, to automaticallyclinch the tongue where it occupies substantially the position indicatedin Fig. 4. In the present instance, during the closing operation, thetip 30 of the tongue point 25 passes through the perforation 28 andcontacts the inner curved surface 3! of the hood or clincher 2%. As theclosing pressure continues to act, the tongue is curved inwardly untilfinally the underside of the point contacts the corner 29, Fig. 6, ofthe portion defining the hole or indenture 21, at which time the pointis pushed back until the barb or abutment 2 B is substantially inengagement with the face 32 of the clincher 26. At the same time, thepoint is guided into the indenture 21, which forms a sheath for thepoint.

In the construction shown in Fig. '7, the tip of the tongue is sheathedin an indentation 3d, which too, has the efiect of pushing the barb backinto a position where the abutment is locked against the face of theclincher.

In Fig. 5, the clincher 36 instead of being hooded, is in the form of abent finger.

In Fig. 8, the point 35 is sheathed in the valley 3'! formed by andbetween the upstanding ridges 38.

Fig. 9 indicates in general, that my automatic, self-contained clincheris applicable to any clinchable tongue.

Here, the tongue 39, operated upon by the clincher 40, has no lockingbarb, but nevertheless has substantially all the holding properties ofordinary tags.

I am aware that it is not new to construct an ear tag with a tongue,which, in attaching the tag, passes into a curved engaging portion.Therefore, I do not claim an identification tag broadly, but only assuch a tag is provided with a self-contained clincher automaticallyoperable upon a co-operating tongue, to push a locking brace carried bythe tongue, into the locking position, with the result that the tonguerests largely within the clincher but the locking brace is outside andin front of the clincher.

Having fully described my invention, What I claim is:

'1. An identification tag, including in combination, two connectedbranches capable of being closed towards each other, a clincher integralwith one of the branches and having a face transverse to a surface ofthat branch, the branch carrying the clincher being perforated toreceive a clinchable tongue, and a clinchable tongue with locking meanshaving an abutment disposed on the other branch, the said clincher beingoperable when the two branches are closed together, to engage and clinchthe said tongue in such a manner that its abutment is caused to pushinto engagement with the transverse face of the clincher.

2. An identification tag according to claim 1, in which the lockingmeans consists of a barb protruding backward from the clinchable tongueand adapted to be automatically pushed upward in front of and lockedagainst the transverse face of the clincher.

3. An identification tag, including in combination, two connectedbranches capable of being closed together, one of the branches having aclinchable tongue, and the other branch a perforation through which saidtongue extends when the branches are closed, a clincher integral withthe perforated branch so as to extend above the perforation, the saidclincher having a front face, and a point projecting forwardly from thetongue, the said point having an abutment in engagement with the saidfront face and a tip having a bearing on the perforated branch, wherebythe abutment is held positively in the said engagement in order toprevent the clinched tongue from becoming disengaged.

4. An identification tag according to claim 3, in which the clincherconsists of a hood having sides adjacent the perforation, and theclincher front face extends along the top and sides of the said hood.

5. An identification tag according to claim 3, in which the clincherconsists of a bent finger over the perforation, and the said clincherfront face is located at the outer end of the bent finger.

6. An identification tag, including in combination, a member having aperforation, a clincher integral with the said member and extending overthe said perforation; a second member opposite the first-mentionedmember and connected thereto so that the two members may be broughttogether, a curved tongue having a point extending from the secondmember, and a barb at the rear of the point, the said tongue beingdisposed largely within the said clincher but so that its point liesoutside the clincher and the barb is in engagement with the outside ofthe clincher.

ARTHUR A. PANNIER.

